Outdoor display



May 22, 1956 H. H. ENNEVER 2,746,187

OUTDOOR DISPLAY Filed Dec. 26, 1951 s sheets-sheer 1 May 22, 1956 H. H. ENNEVER 2,746,187

OUTDOOR 'DISPLAY Filed Dec. 26, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY mim.

May 22, 1956 H. H. ENNEVER 2,746,187

OUTDOOR DISPLAY Filed Deo. 26, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 if" ff? United States Patent OUTDOOR DISPLAY Harry H. Ennever, North iMiam, Fla. Application December 2s, 1951, serial No; v263,459

1 claim. (ci. to-12s) The invention herein disclosed relates to outdoor displays .in the nature of billboards, bulletins, highway ,signs `and the like. n

Objects of the invention are .to provide a low tcost, ornamental, practical .and desirable constructionof this sort which will be capable of withstanding `the heavy storms and particularly the hurricanes to which outdoor displays, in sections of the country, .are subject.

Special objects of the invention are to so construct-the .display that it Amay be serviced and protected against wind and-storm with a minimum of manpower, time and tex- .penditure.

These and other desirable objects are 4attained by the novel combination and arrangement ,of .parts `hereinafter disclosed and claimed and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings.

In the vdrawings referred to .and constituting part of the specification, several different embodiments of the invention have been illustrated, but it will be appreciated Vthat various other modifications and 'changesrnay be made, all within the true intent and lbroad scope-.of the invention as hereinafter defined and-claimed.

Fig. 1 in the drawings is a front elevation of l.an/.advertising bulletin or sign embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a part sectional end view of .the same;

Fig. 3 is a broken part sectional detail showing how the reflectors may be drawn back' and lowered over the upper edge of the frame;

Fig. 4 is a broken rear elevation showing how the lowered reflectors may be secured over the back of the frame;

Fig. 5 is a broken part sectional end view showing the signboard as having a cut-out at the top detachably secured in the upstanding relation;

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the cut-out released and folded down and the poster panels in process of being folded and lowered into the securing rack at the foot of the supporting frame;

Fig. 7 is a broken part sectional detail showing the folded panel sections safely secured in the rack;

Figs. 8 and 9 are front elevations of one of the displays, in extended and in partly folded relation;

Figs. 10 and ll are broken sectional and perspective views, respectively, of a clip construction for holding the panels to the frame.

Basically the invention involves constructing the display with a permanent supporting frame, adequately braced and of openwork design, capable of withstanding storms, hurricanes or otherwise destructive weather conditions, and hingedly connected panel sections for carrying the display matter, .mounted to slide up and down over theV face of the frame, together with means for raising and lowering and for securing the panel sections both in uplifted and in the lowered state.

The supporting frame is shown as made up of uprights suitably braced as indicated at 16, and provided at the front with means for guiding and confining the display panels.

This guiding and confining means may be an ornamental engageable with supplyhlixtures 36.

y 2,746,181 Patented May 22, v19.56

2 border 1'7 supported in spaced'relation in front ofthe uprightsfby brackets 18 to form a guide channel V19.

`The display panels are designated 20 and they are shown pivotally connected at their meeting edges by suitable hinges 21.- i Y The raising and lowering means the panels are shown as cables A22g passing up over pulleys 23 on the top of the frame and which may be vconnected with the upper panel, `as indicated at 24, Fig'. 2.

'The hoisting and lowering vropes or cables 22 may Ybe made fast to the braces at the back .of thek frame and if necessary,.for large signs, may have block and falls connected therewith. y a i The panels are supported inthe upper, display position by slide bars 25 mounted'to slide substantially horizontally on the frame at 26, in position to be extended' under the lowerrnostqpanel,l in the raised Vposition ofv the panels. Clamp nuts.`27 or ,the like may befemployed for securing theseslide bars or bolts in projected ,or-.in retracted relation.

Fig. 2.shows`how with the supporting bars shiftedback 'into retracted relation,the' hinged panels'may be lowered in the guide channel 19 and folded, one over the-other, atpthe base ,of the frame.L g Y Preferably a rack" or like support 'ZSfisprovided in the front of and at the -base of the frame. This support may .be so low as to heout ofthe wayand'not ordinarily seen in front of the lattice 29 or .other skirt portion across lthe bottom of' the display. ,j 1

Aftery foldingy the panel sections v420 down,one,over the other, on the rack28, 'they maybe secured in this'rell'ation as 'by overstanding hold-downrbars `pivoted on'posts .31 at `the front oftherack.

.Various u sual'or special accessories may beusedf with the display.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 4, reector 32rnay'be supported on fthe ends offarm's 33 'guided-in brackets 34 on :the top of vtheframe. These arms, carrying they -e'lectric Wiring, areshown asfhaving` couplings 35 a-tfthe rea-r .Upon disconnecting'the iixture .couplings SSthe reiiectors canihe; pulled zbacktfthrough 'brackets `34':andlowered as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, where they may be secured in lowered relation by overstanding clamps 37 which may be held by quickly applied wing nuts 38 or other such fastenings.

Figs. 5, 6, 8 and 9 show how special cut-outs 39 may be hinged at 40 on the upper panel, secured in the upstanding relation by fastenings 41 on the upper end of supporting braces 42, forming part of the frame.

After releasing fastenings 41 the cut-outs 39 may be folded down over the front of the top panel and then the panels lowered by cables 22 and folded into the safety rack or cradle, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

Fig. 6 also shows how the panels 20 need not all be of the same size, the lower panel in this case being appreciably larger than the others.

Figs. 8 and 9 show how the guide channel for the panels may be provided by a so-called DeLux border 43 spaced in front of the frame, and by channel irons 44 extending above the top of the border to embrace the edges of the topmost panel or panels.

Displays constructed in accordance with this invention are economical in that the supporting frame need only be strong enough to sustain itself in heavy weather and of suicient strength to carry the display panels in mild or normal weather.

This Vis so because on the approach of hurricane or other such conditions the display panels can be quickly lowered and nested in secureA fashion at the base of the supporting frame, leaving only this frame exposed to the weather.

poses, `advertising and informative.

Reflector lamps, cut-outs and other such accessories that may be used are mounted so that they can be quickly released and lowered or secured against harm.

After storm conditions have passed the panels can be easilyY hoisted into`di'splay position and' secured b`yl the slide` barsv 25 or equivalent supports, relieving'the cables of strain so that these cables may be put to use only at times of lowering or raising the panels. l

The hoisting, lowering andv securing rneans aiwof relatively simple, y,easily operated construction requiring no special tools andrneeding Vbut a minimumV of manpower.

The invention is Yadapted, to all kinds of display pur- The piyotally connected panels may carry the display material in painted,

,orV poster or other form. The'panels may be removably and interchangeably connected for varying the display.

The ability to lowerV the panels enables the quick changing from one'iorm or type of ldisplay to another andthe saving'of the display fromrvotherwise destructive forces.Y

The supporting frame is braced against wind pressure by inclined braces 16a, Figs. 2, 5, 6 and i7, extending from an anchor in front of thefr'arney on an upward `slant back to the forward bracing structure 16. These special wind braces, fastened` to the upright frame and 'forwardly slanting at the framing back, Ystifen and strengthen the entire structure.

In a long sign such as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, lthe panels may bevsep'arated at the center on a lineY 46 so that the panels'at .each end may be lowered Vor raised separately. Instead of being in four hingedlyyconnected sections, these may be made up as two hingedly corinected sections, and it is contemplated also that theV border 43, instead of beingfa separate part, may be carried by and folded down with the hingedly"connectedpanels. It is contemplated also that more pulleys than those shown may be employed, for example where-cut-outs 39 are used additional pulleys may be located at the toptolizft and lower these cut-outs. I w

To hold Vthe panels rmly against. the face ofthe supporting frame, special inverted Ufshaped clipsy 45- may be employed, as shown in Figs. 10 and ,1.1, hooked over the horizontal angle irons 16h ofthe frame and over the top edges of the panel sections. Thesecan be easily placed from behind the sign'=after the panels have kbeen hoisted up `into position. These hook-like clipsmay be engaged with only the top panel sections or, if desired, may be engaged with intermediate or lower panel sections by inserting them between the hingcdly connected panels, the edges of the panels, if necessary, being relieved to admit these holding devices.

What is claimed is:

Outdoor display capable of withstanding hurricane weather, comprising a permanent stationary upright frame of openwork structure, horizontally extended display pann els hingedly connected together at their horizontal edges and foldable in zigzag fashion, one over the other, into a compacgat, horizontal mass, said panels in extended, unfolded relation resting at in coplanar engagement against the face of the upright frame, pulleys on top of said frame, ropes extending up over said pulleys and connected with the topmost panel for hoisting the connected panels into position lying against the face of the frame and for lowering the panels in folding, zigzag formation into a single pile at the foot of and in front of the frame, clamps engageable with the panelsv andrframe for holding the panels in the extended position flat against vthe face of the frame and releasable to permit the zigzag References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 715,815 Kinnear Dec. 16, 1902 1,308,680 Price July l, 1919 1,407,856 Gugino Feb. 28, 1922 1,447,159 Thomas Feb. 27, 1923 2,125,994 Docring Aug. 9, 1938 2,446,240 Maysmith Aug. 3, 1948 2,449,426 AStrauss Sept. 14, 1948 2,522,157

Bauers Sept. 12, 1950 

